Hang on to your data, lads – changes are coming to Google Chrome which could kill ad blockers.
Google will shortly be releasing Manifest 3, and it may stop us from using extensions like ad blockers on Chrome.
According to a recent blog post, the changes will begin in the new year. In January of 2022, extensions to the Manifest 2 version of Chrome will no longer be expected on the Store. A year after this, developers won’t be able to push updates and the Chrome browser will no longer support extensions made for Manifest 2.
According to PC Gamer, many of the ad blockers Chrome users have installed at the moment will stop working. It’s clear that ad blockers pose a risk to Alphabet (Google’s parent company). Alphabet admitted:
“Most of our Google revenues are derived from fees paid to us in connection with the display of ads online. As a result, such technologies and tools could adversely affect our operating results.”
Ad blocking software helps to protect our privacy and saves on battery life – but it cuts back on the amount companies are able to market to us.
Apple has taken the opposite approach – tightening up security and privacy settings, including making it much more difficult for ads to ‘follow’ you from site to site.
Do you use an ad blocker? What do you think about these changes? Let us know via our social media channels.
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